Why medical misdiagnosis exists in Nigeria, by Momoh

HAVE you ever wondered why a high number of patients are being misdiagnosed even in medical facilities?
The Chief Operating Officer of Afriglobal Medicare Limited, Dr Martins Momoh, has blamed the scenario on increasing use of obsolete and refurbished machines by diagnostic operators across the federation.

Momoh, who made the observation in Lagos during press briefing to announce the opening of Afriglobal Medicare Limited, stated that because of high cost of some of diagnostic machines, a handful of diagnostic operators make “do with what they have” while churning out diagnostic results.

Momoh, however, said that with the entry of Afriglobal into Nigeria and right economic policies from the government, things might change for the better in the nearest future.

Afriglobal Medicare Limited, a diagnostic centre located at Ikeja, Lagos, renders various pathological services, including hematology, immunology, endocrinology, microbiology, parasitology and molecular biology; radiology services, including x-ray, sonography, mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Other services render by the centre include cardiology with great interest in electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography (ECHO) and spirometry.

On thee reason why misdiagnosis exists, Momoh said: “Most machines today are obsolete, and maintenance and repairs are challenging because of finance. So, most operators of diagnostic services make do with what they have. And the idea of ‘I must produce result at all times’, make them churn out deficient results. And ultimately, the patient pays disastrous sacrifice.

“Second, in our society, because of the economic challenge, most machines are either refurbished or transferred from one hand to the other, just to ensure that diagnostic services run. But these are flawed with challenges and problems, which the patients ultimately pay for. But in Afriglobal, our high earn machines are brand new and are from GE and Siemens.

Most of these machines are first of its kind in the sub-Sahara Africa; they are imported from France and Switzerland.

“Hopefully, with the new political situation in Nigeria, probably good economic policies that are friendly to the health sector in terms of the importation of machines will be enacted and we (Nigerians) will be able to key in. I tell you, there are a lot of capital flights in this. And I believe that the patient deserves even more. That is why Afriglobal investors are committed into inspiring Africa. No matter what it is, Africa deserves the best. Economic reason is one of the reasons we have this challenge. But Afriglobal has surmounted that challenge and ensured that barrier is broken. The past remain the past, and we will forge on; we want to be beacon that fly the flag of Africa- a flag that even the world will marvel at the services we render. We are gunning for the ultimate: America College of Pathology Accreditation. And we have started the process of accreditation and ultimately, we will get there.”